Morning Bell: North Korea’s New Game

Conn Carroll / May 26, 2009

U.S. intelligence agencies are still collecting data from an array of high-tech equipment, but analysts have little doubt that North Korea did detonate a nuclear device yesterday. The Pyongyang regime also test-fired two missiles today despite a U.N. Security Council condemnation of their nuclear test. These actions come just five days after Iran tested a two-stage ballistic missile and just six weeks after North Korea fired their own ballistic missile, the Taepo-Dong-2, which landed 2,390 miles from the launch site.

Since President Barack Obama was sworn in, North Korea has refused to meet with the new administration, rejected six party talks about its nuclear program, kicked U.N. nuclear inspectors out of the country, and restarted a plutonium factory. This rapid pace of provocation shows that Pyongyang is playing a new game. Heritage fellow Bruce Klingner explains: (more…)